Paralegal Credentialing - Renewing Your Credential

If you took or passed the PCCE or PACE, you need to renew your credential (CRP or RP, respectively) every two years on the two-year anniversary of your exam date (also called your anniversary date). Your first renewal is due two years after your exam date. Renewals may be submitted up to 6 months in advance of expiration.

The CLEs you submit in conjunction with your renewal must be NFPA-approved. If they are not, you need to submit them to NFPA for approval. Submitting your CLEs for NFPA approval and submitting your credential renewal, though related, are two entirely separate things. Because the CLEs you submit in conjunction with your renewal must be NFPA-approved, you need to submit your CLEs for approval AND receive approval back before you can submit your renewal.

Please note: If you submit your CLE approval application(s) at the same time as your renewal, your renewal will be returned to you.

CLE approval for RP's and CRP's costs $10 per bundle (as many applications as you wish to submit at a time).

If you will be unable to renew your credential on time, the Renewal Extension Request Form is what you need. Extensions are 60 days from your usual renewal date and do not change the date for future renewals. Your renewal date is always the biannual anniversary of when you passed the credentialing exam. Be sure to note in the explanation section of the form if you need other than a 60 day extension. There is a $50 charge for renewal requests.

Please send an email with both your old and new addresses to info@paralegals.org to submit a change of contact information. RP and CRP renewal reminders are emailed, so please be sure we have the correct email address on file. Certification information is maintained in a database separate from membership, so even if you update your contact information with your local association or via the website, you will need to contact NFPA directly to update your information as well.

FAQs

Q: I missed my renewal date. What do I do now?

A: First of all, you must realize that NFPA and the Certification Standards Committee expect calendaring of this important date to be automatic to certified paralegals. We recognize that sometimes dates do slip up, and if you are within 60 days of missing your renewal date, we can usually give you an extension for good cause. You will need to pay a $50 late fee and request a 60-day extension if your renewal is received at headquarters after your renewal date. You must submit a Renewal Extension Request Form. If you are or will be more than 60 days overdue, contact NFPA and we can advise you further depending on your situation.

Q: How early can I submit my renewal?

A: Please do not submit your renewal more than 6 months in advance of your renewal date. Regardless of when you submit your renewal, it does not change the date of your renewal. DO NOT submit CLE approval requests at the same time as your renewal.

Q: I have accumulated more than the required hours of CLE for my upcoming renewal. Can I use any of these “extra” hours for my next renewal?

A: Yes. A CRP or RP may carry forward up to 3 hours of CLE (not ethics) that were not used for the current renewal. Any hours carried forward must have been earned within the six months immediately preceding your previous renewal deadline. For example, if your renewal deadline is July 1, 2014, you may carry forward the extra CLE hours earned between January 1, 2014 and July 1, 2014 to your 2016 renewal. Any hours carried forward cannot be ethics hours. The ethics CLE hours must be earned within the current two year renewal period.

Q: I have extra hours that fall within the 6 month window and I want to use them for my next renewal. What do I need to do?

A: If the extra hours (1-3) are part of a larger number of hours, e.g., a full day seminar for 6 CLE hours, and you are using 3 of those hours for the current renewal you will need to submit documentation of your attendance at the full day seminar; documentation of the number of hours approved for the seminar, and note on the current Registration Statement and Affidavit of Continuing Education form that you are using only 3 hours of the total 6 hours for the current renewal. You will then need to retain for your records and submittal with the subsequent renewal a copy of the current renewal with the appropriate annotation, copies of the proof of your attendance, and the number of hours approved for the seminar.

When the next renewal comes up, you will submit a copy of the previous Registration Statement and Affidavit of Continuing Education form indicating that you applied only 3 hours of the total 6 hours for that renewal along with the copies you retained documenting your attendance and the number of hours of CLE approved for the seminar.

Q: I have the RP and CRP credentials. Can I use the same CLE credits for both renewals?

A: Yes. Dual credentialed paralegals in good standing holding both the CRP™ and the RP® credentials may use the same CLE hours required in the renewal process as long as it is within the two year time period according to their renewal date.